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Entertainment is always changing. Before film it was live theater.

Posted by: mrbeankc (a.k.a Wyatt_Earp) on Jan 02, 23:04 in response to goodvibe61's post You simply cannot compare ticket sales then and now....

Vaudiville was the big thing. Stage shows, the circus and things of that nature. Then came movies. Many live theaters converted over the cinemas. The movies were not just the place to go for entertainment but it also served as your weekly news as most films started with newsreels. Then came radio which took a small bite out of the movies. The first television broadcasts were in 1936 but there were no residential televisions and before television could get started WWII happened. So it wasn't until several years after the war that residential TVs started showing up.

These days of course it's the Internet, video games and other new forms of entertainment. There is always something new.

You simply cannot compare ticket sales then and now. American culture is not the same. It's not as solid a comparison as you'd think. {nm} goodvibe61 Jan 02, 21:11

Consider this: In 1930, more than 65% of the population went to the movies weekly. 3 of every 5 Americans went to the movies EVERY WEEK. goodvibe61 Jan 02, 21:13

The population has increased 2.5 times since then. {nm} socby19 Jan 02, 22:26

And there are so many other options for entertainment...radio and television were new technology in the 30's. {nm} Catzan Jan 02, 22:46

There were no televisions in the 1930s. There were a few test broadcasts but no residential TV until after WWII {nm} mrbeankc Jan 02, 22:52

Yup, that was my point...being new technology in the 30's when people went to the movies still. As those technologies and others advanced, Catzan Jan 03, 22:54

A film lover today can see almost any movie they want and NEVER have to go to a movie theater to do it. {nm} goodvibe61 Jan 02, 22:50

The value of any comp is, I think, always up for debate. Fwiw, the release date of the original "Star Wars" (1977) is as close to. . . second gary Jan 02, 22:51

Entertainment is always changing. Before film it was live theater. mrbeankc Jan 02, 23:04

Considering today's fragmented market, I'm astonished STAR7 might end up grossing >2/3 of A New Hope's inflation-adjusted amount ($1.49b). {nm} Qix Jan 02, 23:17

Also you could spend all day at the theater on a quarter! My Dad and his brothers and sisters used to be able to buy concessions and movie Baron_Darcon Jan 02, 23:22